ammonnews.net

Ammon News - Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Safadi Tuesday conveyed a message from His Majesty King Abdullah II to Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, which underlined Jordan's keenness on further enhnancing "the historical and brotherly" relations between the two countries.

Safadi expressed His Majesty's wishes to the Emir Sheikh Tamim for good health and the people of Qatari further progress and prosperity.

Sheikh Tamim voiced similar wishes to the King, stressing the deep Jordanian-Qatari relations and a common interest to further advance them in all fields "for the benefit of the two brotherly peoples."

Before meeting the Emir, Safadi held expanded discussions with Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, on ways of increasing bilateral cooperation and coordinating efforts towards Arab and regional issues, foremost of which is the Palestinian cause.

The ministers stressed the importance of the recent development in relations, especially in economic and investment fields.

They reviewed steps taken by the Kingdom and Qatar to expand cooperation in multiple sectors, including investment projects and employment of Jordanians in Qatar, which increased by about 10,000 jobs during the last period as part of Sheikh Tamim's initiative to provide 20,000 job opportunities for Jordanians.

The ministers agreed to continue work to identify investment projects in the Kingdom through direct communication between the ministries and relevant authorities, noting Qatar's initiative to set up a $500 million investment fund for economically feasible projects in various sectors.

Safadi commended Qatar for its care of about 70,000 Jordanian expatriates in the Gulf Arab state.

The ministers also agreed to continue coordination on efforts to resolve regional crises and achieve security and stability in the Middle East.

They stressed the centrality of the Palestinian issue as the top Arab issue, and the need to launch intensive and effective efforts to resolve the Palestinian issue on the basis of the two-state solution, an independent Palestinian state on the June 4, 1967 lines that lives in security and peace alongside the State of Israel, as stipulated by the Arab Peace Initiative and relevant international resolutions as the sole path to achieve a just and comprehensive peace.

They warned of the danger of the absence of a real political horizon for a solution, urging Israel to halt all illegal moves that undermine the two-state solution and respect the historical and legal status quo in Jerusalem and its sanctities.

The two ministers also discussed the summit of Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Jordan, Egypt and Iraq along with the United States, which will be held in Saudi Arabia next month, stressing the importance of coordinating Arab positions prior to the meeting.

They also reiterated Jordan's and Qatar's continued support for Iraq and its stability, the need to intensify efforts to reach a political solution to the Syrian crisis that guarantees the country's unity and stability, and support of the ceasefire in Yemen as a key step towards resolving the crisis politically according to approved references.

Safadi will participate tomorrow in a meeting of NATO foreign ministers, which will be held on the sidelines of a NATO summit in the Spanish capital Madrid.